If you’re like many others, you probably have that one favorite “go-to” necklace—the one you put on every day and wish you could wear with everything. But it’s not the right length for every outfit, of course. Or maybe you have a couple of favorite necklaces but can’t wear them with certain outfits because they’re too short and don’t lay right. Lucky for you, there are many ways to extend the length of the necklaces you already have—and some key things to know before you buy another one if you’re looking for flexibility in extending the length.
What to Know About Lengthening a Necklace
If you make an addition to your necklace that changes the value, be sure to get an updated appraisal for insurance. Not all necklaces are created equal when it comes to the ability to lengthen it. There are four key factors that impact its ability to be lengthened, including what type of necklace it is, the clasp, the thickness and the material from which it is constructed.
- Necklace Type. A necklace made of a solid material like a choker cannot be lengthened without soldering more material to it. However, rope chains, box chains and bead chain necklaces will all provide you with a bit more flexibility on extending the length. To extend length, you need to have the ability to add something on the end of it, generally via an extension to the clasp, which brings us to our next point.
- The Clasp. There are a variety of ways a necklace gets secured behind your neck. This is called the clasp portion of the necklace. Clasp styles are particularly important in keeping your necklace from falling off your neck while wearing it. Some styles do a better job than others of keeping it on your neck, and some enable lengthening better than others. For instance, lobster clasps and spring-ring clasps are both quite common clasp solutions and equally as strong. They are also some of the easiest clasps to enable lengthening a necklace. Necklaces with box or toggle clasps will be a bit more difficult to extend.
- Necklace Thickness. Thinner necklaces will lend themselves to lengthening more easily than thick ones. Think of a heavy, curb-link or Cuban-link necklace. These necklaces are generally made of very thick, heavy precious metals in a repeating pattern, making it difficult to add on any sort of extra length without disrupting the pattern or worse, potentially reducing the strength of the bond between the links. These sturdy style necklaces will require a professional extension from a jeweler which makes it a more expensive option.
- Necklace Material. Does your necklace contain beads or gemstones? These fanciful additions will make it extremely difficult to extend due to the delicate nature of these types of necklaces.
Three Effortless Ways to Lengthen a Necklace on Your Own
Luckily, many necklaces do provide you with a variety of options to extend them yourself. First, we will look at two of the easiest ways to extend the length of your necklaces and then cover how to do it with a little extra work.
- Purchase a necklace extender. Extension pieces can be easily purchased online in assorted styles, patterns, lengths and metals. Extenders cost just a few dollars and can be connected to your necklace using a “jump” ring, which is simply an O-shaped link placed on the end of your necklace to give the extender a place to connect. Necklace extenders are primarily found in silver, gold, rose gold and leather, but can also be found in a few other less-popular materials as well with a quick search.
- Purchase a larger clasp. By far the easiest way to extend the length of your necklace (though, ever so slightly) is by simply replacing the clasp itself. For instance, by simply adding a double lobster clasp to an existing necklace, you can gain approximately one-half inch of added length to your favorite necklace. Adding other types of clasps will add similar length to the necklace. This is a great option if you just need a small amount of length added to your necklace.
- Make an extension yourself. If you’re somewhat creative, you can construct your own necklace extender out of beads, string or any small-diameter wire. Your goal in this option is to weave a solution that is complementary to your necklace but is not an exact replica of it as in the two options above. If you have a matching bracelet to your necklace, this can also be attached to add a generous amount of length to your necklace. This option can provide a fresh look for a necklace that’s been hanging around for a while in your jewelry box or armoire.
If you aren’t comfortable with purchasing and adding an extender or creating one yourself, there’s another option for you to get that perfect look and that’s to entrust it to your favorite local jeweler.
Using a Professional Jeweler for a Necklace Extension
Some necklaces are just too fine, too precious or too chunky to try to extend them on your own. In these cases, if you still want to explore making your necklace longer, it’s best to take it to your local jeweler. In the hands of a professional, your necklace can be extended using their network to source an extension of similar materials and size. They will take care of attaching it once a replica extension has been located. The second way a jeweler can make an extension for you is by adding on a non-matching extender that’s complementary to your necklace’s design. While not a perfect match, this option may be a bit less expensive and still provide the length you desired. The last and most expensive way a jeweler can provide an extension is to custom build additional pieces using some kind of 3D or CAD technology. This most often occurs on intricately-built link chains like curb or Cuban chains and is the most expensive option for extending the length of any necklace.
Now that you’re adequately inspired to change up the length of your favorite necklace, it’s time to get it insured, too. A standalone policy can give you more protection than a standard rider on a homeowner’s policy and won’t result in a claim against your homeowner’s policy which can impact your premiums. Check your rate today using the button below to see how reasonably you can insure your favorite necklace and other jewelry!
